Joint



B. C. PLACE Jan. 19, 1932.

JOINT Filed Noir. 12, 1927 Jazz/ant er Bab/2 8 Place 2 amzzey Patented Jan. 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlce DION 0. PLACE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF '110 'GEORGE E.

GAGNIER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN JOINT Application filed November 12, 1927. Serial No. 232,804.

This invention relates to an improved metallic joint designed as a vehicle body panel oint and a method of makin the same,

the jolnt being especially designe for use in lished between the panels that firmly holds them in assembled relation from end to end of the joint, whereby welding, riveting and bolting may be dispensed with.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of assembling metal panels provided with preformed margins which may readily be interlocked with each other, one of the margins being so formed thata permanent interlocking joint may be provided by a simtple bending of a portion thereof.-

A urther object of the invention is to provide a. metal panel construction in which the edges of adjacent panels are interlocked with means to cover and provide a finshed ap: pearance for the joint formed between the panels. f

A still further object of'the invention is godprovide a metal panel construction emying a finishing or molding strip that is firmly interlocked with the panels at the joint between adjacent panels, so that said strip is firmly held in contact with the panel or 'aimels at all points throughout the length ereof. Further objects of the invention will appear as a description thereof proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a section of two adjacent vehicle panels united in accordance with this invention, with the molding or finishin strip locked in position between the pane s.

. Figure 2 is. a sectional view showing the edge of a panel and the molding or finishing strip in separated relation and showin in dotted lines the manner in which said strip is interlocked with said panel before it is permanentlyapplied thereto.

Figure 3 is a sectional View showing por- 5 tions of adjacent panels-in, separated relation and illustrating in dotted lines the rela tion of the panels ust prior to the completion of the joint of this invention.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the asno sembled panels and molding strip.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In said drawings numerals 5 and 6 indio5 cate portions of adjacent anels of a vhicle body that are united by 51c improved joint of this invention. Panel 5 is rovided with an angulardownwardly turned flange 7, the, free edge of which is provided with a head or roll 8 formed by bending the edge of said flange laterally and toward the under surface of the panel 5 as clearly shown in Figure 2.. Said bead or roll 8 need not ordinarily be reinforced, but a reinforcing wire or rod of suitable size and composition may be inserted in said bead or roll, if desired, to increase the rigidity of the construction.

Panel 6 is provided with a trough or channel 9 formed by bending the edge of the body of the panel at a suitable angle as shown at 10 and reversely bending the edge of the flange thus formed. as shown at 11. The extreme edge 12 of the. reversely bent flange 11 terminates at a point substantially in the plane of the under surface of the body portion of the panel 6. It will be understood, that the other edge (801? shown) may be formed as above descri ed with reference to panel 5 if said panel is to be joined to-a third 00 panel. Preferably, but not'necessarily, a finishing ormolding strip 13 is provided to cover the joint formed between the adjacent panels. Strip 13 includes a body portion 14.- the edges .of which are turned at suitable angles in opposite directions from said body portion, as shown at 15 and 16. The extreme edge of flange 16 is rebent at 17 providing a tongue 18. As thematerial ofthe strip 13 1 is preferably metal, it will be understood that the rebending of the metal at 17 will provide a tongue 18 that is relatively resilient.

- If a molding or finishing strip such as shown at 13 is usedit is secured to the edge of panel as clearly shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, byinserting the edge of said panel in the lateral channel formed by tongue 18 and flange 15. As shown in this figure the tongue 18 bears upon the upper surface of panel 5 bearing on said surface firmly but resiliently whereby a closed joint is maintained between the free edge of the strip 13 and the body of the panel. In order to permanently assemble the molding or finishing strip relative to the panel 5 the end of flange 15 is rolled or bent around the head 8 as shown at 19 (Figure 3).

The edge of the panel 5 with the strip 13 applied thereto, is positioned in the channel 9 of the panel 6 as clearly shown in Figure 3. The flanges 15 and 16 are so disposed relative to the body 14 of said strip that when the edge of panel 5 is applied to the channel 9 of panel 6, the top surface of the body of the panel will bear firmly against the under surface of flange 16 to provide a close joint at this point. In order to complete the assembly of the panels 5 and 6 and the strip 13 the edge of the rebent. flange 11 of the panel 6 is bent around the bead or roll 8 as shown at 20. A

If desired, the mold or finishing strip 13 may be omittedin which event the channel 9 would be made narrower to snugly receive the bead 8 and the adjacent panels would be locked together by bending the free edge of the rebent flange 11 around the bead 8 as above described.

' It will be observed that by the above construction a joint is provided between the panels of a vehicle body that does not require the welding, bolting, riveting or soldering of the adjacent anels and in which a continuous union is ormed between adjacent panels throughout the length of the joint edges. At the same time the joint above described provides a degree of flexibility between adjacent panels that will allow said panels to move slightly relative to each other without weakening the joint as the vehicle body is caused to weave under conditions of actual service.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefor to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning A and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. The method of assembling and joining adjacent self-supporting panels and a finishing strip of a metallic vehicle body which consists in forming an edge of one of the panels with an interlocking member, permanently interlocking said finishing strip with said interlocking member by bending a portion thereof around said member at all points along the length thereof, forming the other of said panels with a channel to receive the interlocked strip and edge of the first namedf panel and then bending a wall of said channel continuously throughout its length to interlock all of the parts together.

2. The method of assembling and joining adjacent self-supporting panels and a finishing strip of a metallic vehicle body, which comprises forming the edge of one of said panels with a bead, forming said finishing strip with a laterally opening channel, inserting said beaded edge in said channel, bending a portion of a wall of said channel around said head to interlock said strip and edge, forming-the edge of the other panel with a channel designed to receive said head and.

strip, inserting saidbead and strip in said channel and continuously bendin a portion of said chanel in substantial paralTelism with a portion of said head to interlock the parts together.

3. In combination with a pair of adj acently disposed vehicle panels having their edges extending away from their outer surfaces and arranged in continuous interlocked relation, of a molding or finishing strip having a portion interlocked with said interlocked edges at alLpoints throughout their length another portion overlapping an edge of the outer surface of one of said panels and a further portion overlapping the edge of the outer surface of the adjacent panel.

4. Incombination a metal vehicle panel havin a'relatively flat outer surface and an edge anged inwardly and provided with a continuous bead, a second panel having a relatively flat outer surface and a continuous inwardly projecting flange rebent to form a channel, a molding or finishing strip provided with an uninterrupted portion designed to be continuously bent around said bead and to be received in said channel and other portions to bridge the joint between said panels and bear upon said outer surfaces on each side of said joint, a portion of one of the walls of said channel being bent at all points'throughout its length around said uninterrupted portion.

5. In combination, a panel provided with an angular flange the edge of which is bent to form a bead, a molding strip provided with a portion arranged adjacent said flange, another portion substantially surrounding said bead and a head portion including projections in opposite directions from said flange a second panel having a flan e arranged adjacent that portion of the mol ing strip that is ad- FEB jacent the flange on said first named (panel and a bead surrounding the bead on sai first named panel.

6. In combination, a pair of sheet metalpanels having their adjacent edges bent an larly to their bodies to form flanges, a mo ding stri arranged between said flanges and interloc ed therewith at all points throughout its length and including a head overlapping said panels adjacent said flanges, said head being formed by bending the portion of the strip that is arranged between the flanges laterally and then reversely bending the free edge of said strip until the extrem ity of said edge is in contact with the other panel.

7. An automobile body joint between adjacent metal panels formed bybending an edge of one panel substantially at right angles to as thebody thereof with a bead or roll bordering and stiffening the free edge of said flange,

assembling a sheet metal molding strip with the edge of said panel by disposing the bod portion thereof parallel to and in contact wit said flangle and interlocking said strip to said panel by ending an edge of the body thereof around said head or roll, forming the other edge of said strip into a bead formed to lapthe edge of said panel and provide an overhanging projection to lap the edge of the adjacent panel, disposing the edge of the adjacent panel beneath said projection and interlocking said last named edge with said strip and roll by providing said edge with a channel to receive said bead or roll with a portion of said strip interlocked therewith, and bending one side of said channel around said bead or roll.

BION 0. PLACE. 

